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Minor Field Standard Operating Procedures 7110.2F

Authority Section - Current Revision F - Effective Date: 2023/07/01

2 General

2.1 Airfield Delegation

TRACON Airports
Cleveland BKL
CGF
CAK
MFD
Clarksburg CKB
MGW
Buffalo ERI
IAG
Detroit (D21) ARB
DET
PTK
YIP
Great Lake FNT
JXN
LAN
MBS
Johnstown LBE
JST
Pittsburgh AGC
BVI
HLG
Rochester ROC
Selfridge MTC
Toledo TOL
Youngstown YNG

2.2 Clearance Delivery

2.2.1 Issue Clearances

  1. Review all flight plan information for accuracy.
  2. Ensure that all aircraft requesting clearance have current ATIS code or, if not available: the current weather, preferred/in-use runways, approach/departure information, pertinent NOTAMs, and airport conditions.
  3. Controlled Field IFR Departures: If an aircraft is departing out of a towered field they should be issued instructions IAW the appropriate chapter in this SOP (3-27) or relevant airport SOP found on the ARTCC website.
  4. Uncontrolled Field IFR Departures: Assign 4,000ft or requested/safe altitude if lower, and inform the aircraft to expect (requested altitude) 10 minutes after departure, unless at the following fields:
    • Any aircraft departing an uncontrolled field in the Detroit (D21), Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or Buffalo TRACONs shall be assigned 3,000ft or requested/safe altitude if lower and to expect (requested altitude) 10 minutes after departure.
    • Any aircraft departing an uncontrolled field in the Clarksburg TRACON or Johnstown RAPCON shall be assigned 5,000ft or requested/safe altitude if lower and to expect (requested altitude) 10 minutes after departure.
  5. Class D VFR Departures: outbound aircraft, not requesting VFR Flight Following (VFF) shall not be assigned a departure frequency nor beacon code. Outbound aircraft, requesting VFF, shall be issued a departure frequency based on direction of flight (if necessary) and beacon code.
  6. Class C VFR Departures: outbound aircraft are to be assigned a VFR altitude restriction, departure frequency based on direction of flight (if necessary), and beacon code.

2.2.2 Weather Information

  1. Receiving
    • Airfield weather shall be received via the ATC client or the Aviation Weather Center.
    • CWAs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, and NOTAMs should be received from the Aviation Weather Center and/or the FAA.
  2. Disseminating:
    • CD (or GC as appropriate) shall ensure that all Tower control positions and TRACON receive the new ATIS code.
    • CD/GC shall notify CIC when weather changes from VFR to IFR or from IFR to VFR

2.3 Ground Control

2.3.1 Plan Ground Movement

  1. GC shall ensure to not allow aircraft to process onto a runway without transfer of control or approval from LC.
  2. GC shall coordinate with LC all requests for intersection departures or, where appropriate, non-standard runway usage.
  3. GC shall give way to aircraft exiting runways unless otherwise coordinated.
  4. GC shall be made aware of local in-trail restrictions and as necessary: sequence traffic on taxiways to expedite departures.

2.3.2 Runway Crossing

  1. Usage of active runway(s) shall remain the responsibility of LC. GC shall NOT cross runway(s) designated as active, unless coordinated and approved by LC.
  2. When coordinating runway crossings, GC shall request by providing the runway number and intersection for which the aircraft shall be crossed.
    • If the request is approved, LC shall explicitly state "cross" followed by the runway number and intersection.
    • If the request is unable to be approved, LC shall NOT state "cross" but instead shall explicitly state "hold short of runway (number)".
    • Upon crossing completion, GC shall advise LC by stating "crossing complete" followed by the controller’s operational initials (OIs).

2.4 Local Control

2.4.1 Jurisdiction of Airspace

LC is responsible for ensuring separation inside tower delegated airspace or if talking to both aircraft inside 10NM from their airfield.

2.4.2 Departure Releases

Unless automatic releases are approved per the facility directive: all IFR departures must obtain a release from the overlying radar controller. In coordination with the overlying controller, the release request should include the following information: 1. Callsign 2. Aircraft type 3. Departure runway 4. Departure procedure or assigned heading

Example 1: 

BKL-LCL: "North Satellite, Lakefront Local, Release"
CLE-N: "North Satellite"
BKL-LCL: "Request release ERY385, Beechjet, 24R KKIDS"
CLE-N: "Released, heading 350, LL"
BKL-LCL: "DA."

Example 2: 

YIP-LCL: "West Satellite, Willow Run Local, Release"
D21-Y: "West Satellite"
YIP-LCL: "Request LXJ536, Challenger 300, Runway 23L, LIDDS"
D21-Y: "LXJ536 released at 0235Z"
YIP-LCL: "Released at 0235Z, DA"
D21-Y: "LL."

2.5 Radar Control

2.5.1 Departures

  1. Departure releases shall be handled IAW 2.4.2.
  2. Radar shall ensure that all traffic remains on tower assigned heading until leaving 3,000ft MSL before proceeding on course.

2.5.2 Handoffs

  1. All handoffs to/from enroute/terminal radar shall commence at or before the transfer-of-control point (TCP, usually defined by the airspace boundary. Deviations may include verbal and/or written coordination or letter of agreement.
  2. No radar handoffs shall be initiated to LC. Radar should drop the radar tag and instruct the pilot to contact the tower on the appropriate frequency prior to entering Local Control airspace or at the FAF/OM.

2.5.3 Approach Scratchpad Usage

Approach Type Entry Format Example
Visual __ (Runway Assignment) V__ V23 (Visual 23)
ILS __ (Runway Assignment) I__ I23, I8R (ILS 23, ILS 28R)
LOC __ (Runway Assignment) L__ L32 (LOC 32)
RNAV __ (Runway Assignment) R__ R14 (RNAV 14)
RNAV U __ (Runway Assignment) U__ U2R (RNAV U 22R)
RNAV W __ (Runway Assignment) W__ W3R (RNAV W 03R)
RNAV X __ (Runway Assignment) X__ X4L (RNAV X 24L)
RNAV Y __ (Runway Assignment) Y__ Y4L (RNAV Y 24L)
RNAV Z __ (Runway Assignment) Z__ Z2R (RNAV Z 24R)
VOR __ (Runway Assignment) O__ O14 (VOR 14)
NDB __ (Runway Assignment) N__ N32 (NDB 32)
If multiple types of an instrument approach are available, and not covered above, (e.g. ILS Y), still utilize the format above and clear for the advertised approach in the ATIS unless the approach is alternatively requested by the pilot, then coordinate/relay information as appropriate.

2.6 Opposite Direction Operations (ODO)

2.6.1 Scope

These procedures apply to same-runway ODO between: - An IFR arrival and an IFR departure - An IFR arrival and an IFR arrival

2.6.2 Definition

IFR/VFR operations conducted to the same or parallel runway where an aircraft is operating in a reciprocal direction of another aircraft arriving, departing, or conducting an approach.

2.6.3 Responsibilities

  1. LC and the radar controller share the responsibilities to coordinate ODO and issue traffic advisories IAW 2.6.4.2.
  2. LC is responsible for applying the cutoff point(s) between arriving and departing aircraft IAW 2.6.5.1 and 2.6.5.3
  3. Radar is responsible for applying the cutoff point(s) between successive ODO arrivals IAW 2.6.6.1/2/3.

2.6.4 ODO for Aircraft Receiving IFR Services

  1. ODO procedures are applicable when two aircraft will execute approaches to opposite ends of the same runway, or an aircraft will depart prior to an arrival on an opposite direction approach to the same runway.
  2. Traffic advisories must be issued to both participating aircraft as followed:
    • "Opposite direction traffic (distance) mile final, (type aircraft)"
    • "Opposite direction traffic departing runway (number), (type aircraft)"
    • "Opposite direction traffic (position), (type aircraft)"
  3. The cutoff point for IFR ODO is 6NM from the departure end of the advertised runway in use.
  4. Use of visual separation is NOT authorized for aircraft receiving IFR services that are conducting ODO on the same runway.
  5. LC and radar are responsible for initiating coordination required to accomplish an opposite direction arrival or departure.
    • Initial coordination must state "Opposite Direction" and include callsign, type, and arrival or departure runway.
    • All subsequent coordinate must state "Opposite Direction"

2.6.5 ODO for Arrival/Departure

This section also covers aircraft performing a touch-and-go, stop-and-go, low approach, or missed/abandoned approach. 1. LC is responsible for applying the cutoff point, described above, between IFR arriving and departing aircraft. The departing ODO aircraft must be airborne, turned to avoid conflict, and communication transferred to the radar controller prior to an ODO arrival reaching the cutoff point. 2. Radar must not allow the ODO arrival to pass the cutoff point until communication is established with the opposite direction departure. 3. If the opposite direction arrival is established in the traffic pattern, the departing aircraft must be airborne and issued a turn to avoid conflict and communication transferred to radar prior to the ODO arrival turning base leg. 4. If the above conditions are not met: action must be taken to ensure control instructions are issued to protect the integrity of the cutoff points.

2.6.6 ODO for Arrival/Arrival

  1. With successive IFR opposite direction arrivals, LC must verbally coordinate "landing complete" on the preceding ODO arrival prior to the succeeding ODO arrival reaching the cutoff point.
  2. Radar must not allow the succeeding ODO arrival to pass the cutoff point until the preceding ODO "landing complete" coordination is accomplished.
  3. An arriving aircraft must cross the runway threshold prior to another arriving aircraft established in the traffic pattern turning base leg.
  4. If the above conditions are not met: action must be taken to ensure control instructions are issued to protect the integrity of the cutoff points.